(Updated 2:54 p.m.) The Philippine Animal Welfare Society or PAWS on Monday filed a criminal complaint against Anthony Solares, the man who ended Killua‘s life, for violating the law that prohibits people from engaging in the dog meat trade.
The complaint was filed on Monday afternoon.
The non-profit organization on March 25 confirmed that Solares brought the pet dog to a “known slaughterhouse and dog meat cooking area” after killing the animal who was found lifeless in a sack on March 17.
It added that he “owns a carinderia business which sells meat viands near the dog slaughter area.”
Killua was previously found lifeless in a sack by his owner, Vina Rachelle Arazas, after Solares led them to their pet following the incident.
Some internet users who saw the posts, including those claiming to live near Bato, Camarines Sur, claimed the suspect had darker intentions.
“In-anxiety ako [niyan] kahapon. Actually, it’s near my hometown. And they are known to kill dogs for them to cook and eat. [Sabi] din ng mga kakilala ko, kaya siya nasa sako kasi [kakatayin] na at [lulutuin] na. I deactived my FB [Facebook] because of that,” TikTok user @user81227158815 wrote before.
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In a separate interview, Solares denied both sacking the dog and having intentions to cook it. He also said he did not intend to kill the animal, claiming he only did it to defend people from getting bitten by the dog.
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Meanwhile, PAWS said that it filed a complaint against Solares for violating Republic Act 9482 or the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007, which prohibits trading dogs for meat.
It also called on those who may have consumed dog meat coming from the area where Killua’s body was found to get post-exposure shots.
“They are at great risk. Dog meat traders are not only cruel people but pose a serious threat to public health,” the org said.
Veterinarian Armie Sebello, the supervising meat control officer at the National Meat Inspection Service, previously said that the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines also prohibits eating dog meat since it is considered “hot meat.”
Since dog meat does not undergo proper inspection, it may carry diseases such as rabies, which may be passed on to those who butcher or consume it.
PAWS executive director Anna Cabrera also said that dog meat trading is illegal under the Animal Welfare Act of 1998, also known as Republic Act 8485.
The Animal Welfare Foundation considers dog meat trading as “one of the most serious animal welfare concerns in the Philippines,” saying it is an animal welfare abuse.